This invention provides new 2-(4-pyridyl)-oxazoline compounds that are useful as insecticides and acaricides. More particularly, the present invention concerns 2-(3,5-disubstituted-4-pyridyl)-1,3-oxazoline compounds and certain of their stereoisomers. The invention also includes new synthetic procedures and intermediates for preparing the compounds, pesticide compositions containing the compounds, and methods of controlling insects and mites using the compounds.
There is an acute need for new insecticides and acaricides. Insects and mites are developing resistance to the insecticides and acaricides in current use. At least 400 species of arthropods are resistant to one or more insecticides. The development of resistance to some of the older insecticides, such as DDT, the carbamates, and the organophosphates, is well known. But resistance has even developed to some of the newer pyrethroid insecticides and acaricides. Therefore a need exists for new insecticides and acaricides, and particularly for compounds that have new or atypical modes of action.
Certain 3-(3,5-disubstituted-4-pyridyl)-1H-1,2,4-triazoles with activity against mites and insects are disclosed in WO 00/24735. 2-(Substituted-phenyl)-1,3-oxazolines with insecticidal activity are disclosed in JP 4-89484, EP 0345775-A1, EP 0432661-A2, EP 0553623-A1, WO 99/01443, WO 99/23081 and WO 98/47881. 2-Aryl- and 2-heteroaryl-1,3-oxazolines with acaricidal and insecticidal activity are disclosed in JP 6-145169 and WO 99/65901. Arthropocidal 2-(substituted-phenyl)-1,3-oxazolines are disclosed in WO 93/24470. To the applicants' knowledge, only one oxazoline product, etoxazole, has been developed as a commercial acaricide. It would be highly desirable to discover related compounds of this mode of action that are more potent, more selective or of broader spectrum in their activity and/or that have improved toxicological and environmental properties.